I hated this game as a kid because it's different. As an adult, I love it because it's different. Super Mario Bros. 2's impact on the franchise is indelible. It sets the baseline for Peach, Luigi, and Toad as player characters, and introduces a unique slew of enemies that still persist today. Shy Guys are great, Snifits are little weirdos, Phanto is terrifying, Birdo. Given the mark its left on the series, it's a little strange to reflect on the fact that it isn't really the Mario 2.

It's not a perfect experience by any means. Some levels feel just a bit too slow, especially the ones where you have to navigate through mazes by blowing up walls, and some of the digging segments can feel a bit repetitive. I personally don't care for how Toad controls, but the rest of the characters are pretty fun, yet I almost always default to Peach for the majority of the game. She's got the best jump, it can't be helped. Finding secrets is pretty fun, and a lot less mind-numbing than it was in the original Super Mario. You no longer have to push down on every pipe hoping you'll find something, and instead throw a potion on the ground which will open a door to a small bonus area. Sometimes there's good stuff there, sometimes there's not, but you'll always get coins which can be used on the slot machine minigame.

Gameplay is overall much more slow, and Mario attacks by picking up and throwing veggies, items, and enemies rather than jumping on heads. The controls feel a bit more floaty too. It takes a bit of getting used to but I really do like the way it plays. The boss fights are more inventive than what you'll see from the series until Mario World, too.